Equalizing device.



PATENTED JULY 7, 1908.

A. LAWSON. EQUALIZING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.3.1908.

ALBERT LAWSON, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS;

EQUALIZING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July '7, 1908.

Application filed April 3, 1908. Serial Ii'o. 424,910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT LAWSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Equalizing Devices,of which the following is a specification.

The object of this inventlon is to construct an equalizing device fordoors and drawers so that both ends will move in unison therebypreventing binding or cramping.

In the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a plan view of a casecontaining my improved equalizer, in which the top is removed. Fig. 2 isa transverse section on dotted line a a Fig. 1, in which the door isshown in dotted lines in a horizontal position.

Fi 3 is a similar section, in which the door is lly open. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of one of the u per corners of the door. Fi 5 is avertica section through the equalizing bars. Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview of a portion of one of the equalizing bars and its relationwithother operative parts.

The case to which I have applied my improved equalizer may be of a solidstructure or knock-down form, and in this instance comprises the bottom1, top 2, ends 3 and back 4. Beneath the top 2 is located a shelf 5. Theup er face of this shelf adjacent to its ends is amed with grooves 6extending transversely of the shelf, and to the shelf adjacent to thegrooves 6 are secured cleats 7 and 8 which are elevated on the endblocks 9, leaving a space between the cleats and shelf. Within thegroove 6 and between the cleats of each end of the shelf is located aguide 10 formed with a slot 11, extending in the direction of the lengthof the guide, and having an 'upturned ear 12 formed with the verticalslot 13. To the upper face of the shelf are pivoted two equahzing bars14 and 15 by the screws 16. These equalizing bars extend in thelengthwise direction of the shelf, and have their longer arms located inthe slots 11 of the guides 10 and located beneath the cleats 7 and 8.The short arm of the equalizing bar 15 has a slot 17 extending in thedirection of the length of the bar, and the short arm of the e ualizingbar 14 has an upturned end 18, whic is located in the slot 17 of theequalizing bar 15. This upturned end 18 being located in the slot 17forms a connection between the equalizing bars 14 and 15. The equalizingbars being located in the slots 11 of the guides 10 hold the guides fromdislacement, but permitting their movement in the slots 6 between thecleats 7 and 8.

A door 19 is of a size to close the front of the case, and has its innerface at its up er edge, near the corners, each formed with a recess 21across which is placed a bar 22 in staple form having its branchesdriven into the door. The bars 22 of the doors are located in the slots13 of the uides 10, thereby suspending the door, and forming a pivotalconnection between the door and the guides, and through the guides aconnection is formed with the equalizing bars 14 and 15.

Fig. 2 shows the door in its closed position, and in dotted lines thedoor is shown raised into a horizontal position preparatory to beingmoved in un er the top 2. The top is formed with a cut-away section 23which permits the upper edge of the door to swing in opening or c osingit. After the door has been raised into a horizontal position it may bemoved beneath the top of the case as shown at Fig. 3. This movement willcause the guides 10 to move in the slots 6 of the shelf, and themovements of the guides will rock the equalizing bars 14 and 15 on theirpivotal connections with the shelf. As the equalizing bars l4and 15 areconnected through the upturned end 12 in the slot 13, one cannot movefaster than the other, which will insure both ends of the door movingparallel, thereby preventing binding or cramping of the door. Therecesses 21 receive the ends 12 of the guides and the guides hold thedoor from longitudinal movement. After the door has been raised into ahorizontal position it may be moved in a short distance which will movethe guides in until the bars 22 can be disen aged from the ends 12 ofthe guides,

and the door removed from the case, if it be necessary. The slot 17 willpermit the up turned end 18 to move therein in order that theequalizing-bars may pass the dead center, or have a slidable connectionwhich I have shown in my improvements in connection with a door of acase, it is evident that they mi ht be applied to drawers for furnitureas we I.

I claim as my invention.

1. An equalizing device comprising a su port, two bars pivotallyconnected to tffe support and having a slidable connectlon, gui e-waysformed in connection with the support, guides in the guide-ways, aconnection between the bars and guides, and a door or the like having aconnection with the guides.

2. An equalizing device comprising a su port, two bars pivotallyconnected to t e support and having a slidable connection, guide-waysformed in the support, cleats located each side of a guide-way, a guidefor each guide-way having a slot which receives the end of a bar, thebar located beneath the cleats, and a door or the like having aconnection with the guides.

3. An equalizing device comprising a support formed with two guide-ways,two bars movably connected to the su port and connected together, guidesfor t e guide-ways ALBERT LAWSON.

Witnesses;

A. O. BEHEL, E. D. E. N. BEHEL.

